Nature nominee

My process begins with collecting wilted botanicals where the petals and leaves are within days of full decay. Ideally, each specimen must be thin enough to allow light to pass through, revealing the intricate patterns beneath. For this collection, the specimens are an orchid and cactus flowers. I worked entirely handheld with my Nikon Z7II using a macro lens and extension tubes. I then use post processing, to highlight details that are normally invisible to the naked eye. Through this work, I explore transformations that might otherwise go unnoticed. Using controlled illumination, I expose what is often unseen, inviting a visual experience on an intimate scale. In this method, it’s a way to visualize energy vibration and move into reflection on how nothing stays the same. What is exciting about this process is the sense of discovery because I never know exactly what details will show up until the light touches it. Influenced by artists such as Anna Akins and Imogen Cunningham who revealed nature’s elegance through close observation, I approach each botanical as both specimen and spirit; sensing the unseen energy that continues to move through all things. Even as seen as discarded, I believe there is infinite presence.

Deborah Kay Bunker is an emerging fine art photographer and recent graduate of Arizona State University, where she earned a degree in fine art photography. Working primarily in botanical macro photography, Deborah is drawn to revealing what often goes unnoticed. Through careful attention and subtle control of light, she exposes hidden textures, patterns, and forms, inviting viewers to experience the natural world on an intimate scale. Light becomes a tool to visualize energy, vibration, and impermanence, encouraging reflection on how nothing remains the same.

Deborah is motivated by discovery: the details that emerge are never fully known until light touches each subject. She approaches each botanical as both specimen and spirit, sensing the unseen energy that flows through all things, even as they decay, reflecting a belief in infinite presence.

Her work has been recognized in the fine art community. Deborah was selected by LensCulture editors to be featured in the Art Photography Awards 2026 Competition Gallery (December 2025). Out of hundreds of entries, her Black-and-White Botanicals series was accepted as a Finalist in the DECAGON online photo exhibition (January 2026). She continues to develop a focused body of work through ongoing projects, juried submissions, and engagement with contemporary photographic